David Donnell

David Donnell was born at 92 Wellington Street, St. Mary's, Ontario. He is generally acknowledged as a master of the conversational intellectual poem. He is a full-time writer and journalist, and has won a number of awards. He has been seen and heard on CBC, Global, TVO, and CBC radio FM and AM.

Awards
Today Magazine Canadian Comic Poem Award, 1981.
Governor General's Award for Poetry, 1983.
Therafields Chapbook Award, 1986.
City of Toronto Book Award, 1993.

Selected Publications
Settlements. (McClelland & Stewart, 1983).
The Blue Ontario Hemingway Boat Race (fiction). (Coach House Press, 1985).
Water Street Days (poems and stories). (McClelland & Stewart, 1989).
China Blues: Poems and Stories. (McClelland & Stewart, 1992).
Dancing in the Dark (poems and stories). (McClelland & Stewart, 1996).

Selected Anthologies
The New Oxford Book of Canadian Verse in English. (Oxford University Press, 1982).
The New Canadian Poets, 1970-1985. (McClelland & Stewart, 1985).
The Norton Introduction to Modern Poetry, 3rd ed. (Norton, 1986).

Books in Print
Donnell, David
China Blues: Poems and Stories. McClelland & Stewart, 1992. $12.99 ISBN: 0-7710-2843-1.
Dancing in the Dark. McClelland & Stewart, 1996. $12.99 ISBN 0-7710-2833-4.
Hemingway in Toronto (monograph). Black Moss Press, 1982. $8.95 ISBN: 0-88753-090-7.
Settlements. McClelland & Stewart, 1983. $12.95 ISBN: 0-7710-2849-0.
The Blue Ontario Hemingway Boat Race (prose). Coach House Press, 1985. $14.95 ISBN: 0-88910-302-X.
The Natural History of Water. Shaw Street Press, 1986. $25.00 ISBN: 0-920901-01-8.
Water Street Days. McClelland & Stewart, 1989. $9.95 ISBN: 0-7710-2848-2.

 

Poet in the School
(Toronto)

phone: 416-929-3703

Donnell is a poet and fiction writer who teaches creative writing, and does workshops as well as readings. His selected poems, Settlements, won the Governor General's Award for Poetry in 1984. His book of short stories, loosely based on Ernest Hemingway's work period for the Toronto Star in the 1920's, The Blue Ontario Hemingway Boat Race appeared in 1985. He has given readings and workshops across Canada over the last ten years at universities, public and high schools, libraries, art galleries and colleges. Donnell has taught at Willowdale Public Library, Canadore College in North Bay, Ganaraska Writers' Workshop, and recently completed a 1990/91 Writer-in-Residence position at the Alliston Public Library. His latest book of poems is Dancing in the Dark (McClelland and Stewart 1996)

Grade Levels: all

Fees: standard

Classroom Approach:
Donnell usually alternates workshops and personal reading modes, depending on the class. He is comfortable with both junior and senior groups. Sometimes he has students write exercises of various kinds; other times the session might be more reading and discussion. He is a good reader with a sense of humour that students can identify with. His sessions are about an hour long but can be modified. He does extended workshops with grade 12 and 13 students. Donnell will bring books for sale, if desired, and copies of reviews are available upon request.